Cambodia expects more Chinese tourists during the Spring Festival

Cambodia is expected to welcome hundreds of Chinese tourists during the Chinese New Year which starts late next week, Cambodian Tourism Minister Thong Khon said.

"I believe that more Chinese tourists than previous years will visit Cambodia this year because the Chinese people, who have visited Cambodia during the previous yeas, must have told their compatriots, friends and relatives about the country's beautiful tourist spots," Khon told Xinhua in an exclusive interview on Wednesday.

"As I know, hotels in Siem Reap's Angkor are now fully booked.A lot of Chinese tourists come to Cambodia during the occasion, but I do not have the exact figures yet," he said.

According to the minister, Cambodia received some 560,000 Chinese tourists in the whole year of 2014, up 20 percent year-on- year, accounting for 12.4 percent of the international visitors to Cambodia. Of the number, over 330,000 Chinese tourists visited the famed Angkor Wat Temple. "China is the second largest source of foreign tourists to Cambodia...We predict that Cambodia will attract 700,000 Chinese tourists in 2015, and up to 2 million by 2020."

Khon said the remarkable rise in Chinese visitors to Cambodia is the result of excellent ties and proximity between Cambodia and China, Cambodia's political stability and, of course, the world- famous Angkor Wat Temple. There are now also direct flights from China to Cambodia.

In its strategy to draw 2 million Chinese tourists by 2020, the minister said Cambodia has focused on creating tourism products for Chinese tourists and promoting them in China. "Many Chinese tourists are now well-off and based on forecasts, China's middle-class population will reach 630 million in 2020. So they have the means to buy quality products, eat in expensive restaurants and stay in luxurious hotels and entertainment facilities," he said.

Khon said that in order to lure more Chinese visitors, he has encouraged owners of hotels, restaurants and resorts to use three languages, Khmer, English and Chinese, on their billboards or promotional leaflets.

He said he does not have any problem with the etiquette of Chinese tourists in Cambodia because Cambodia and China have similar cultural practices and Chinese visitors always respect Cambodian laws, culture and traditions. "They are friendly tourists and Cambodia is pleased to welcome them because they understand Cambodian traditions and customs and our cultures are also similar," he said. "Generally, we have not encountered any problems with Chinese tourists even if sometimes they speak loudly at public places which they have been accustomed probably in China," Khon said.

What he admires most in Chinese tourists is that they are friendly to Cambodians, respect local laws, and are not stingy in their spending while visiting Cambodia's tourist spots or going to restaurants or shopping malls.

Khon, however, said that there are few reminders for foreign tourists visiting his country not to do and these include swimming naked or kissing in public. There is also law that bans the taking of photos of visitors in the nude particularly in historic spots like the Angkor Wat Temple, Khon added.

Ang Kim Eang, president of the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents which consist of 211 tour and travel companies, said close Sino-Cambodian ties and Cambodia's famed Angkor Wat Temple have lured more Chinese tourists to Cambodia. "I foresee that more and more Chinese tourists will come to Cambodia in coming years. The influx of Chinese tourists to Cambodia has contributed to the development of local economy and poverty reduction," he said.

He also lauded Chinese tourists for spending a lot of money buying Cambodian-made souvenirs and showing respect for Cambodian laws, culture and traditions. "Most Chinese tourists understand and respect Cambodian culture and traditions. For instance, when visiting our worship sites, they light incense sticks and worship the statues of Buddha at some shrines at the Angkor Wat Temple," he said. "They worship at Cambodian shrines like what we Cambodians do."

Le Lyna, a Cambodian tour guide for Chinese tourists, said there is growing interest of Chinese tourists to Cambodia's temples during the Spring Festival season. "During this period, many groups of Chinese tourists have visited Cambodia because they want to explore Cambodia's cultural and ecological sites," he said. "Most of them like shopping, eating, drinking and sightseeing."

He said Chinese tourists are now broad-minded and spend a lot of money for their leisure and souvenir items.

Another tour guide Chhean Samnang said the favorite places for Chinese tourists are the Angkor Wat Temple, capital Phnom Penh, and coastal Sihanoukville.

"Chinese tourists are as friendly as Cambodian people. They are easy to get along with."